waited 40 years and at last i have just brought a horse,
wanted since i was 5 but never had the time or money before. I am in heaven
wanted since i was 5 but never had the time or money before. I am in heaven
First Horse
I had to wait until I was 35 to have my horse. Loved him dearly, chestnut arab, white blaze and four white socks. He was beautiful and I taught him to curtsey and say "please" with his hoof raised and to do barrel racing.
Aside from tricks I schooled him from being an arab racehorse when I bought him to being a dressage winner.
I hope you and your horse have lots of fun together
and to do barrel racing. Aside from tricks I schooled him from being an arab racehorse when I bought him to being a dressage winner.
I hope you and your horse have lots of fun together
At last some people with equine knowledge! I posted months ago with some horse questions but hardly anyone responded.
Larlaruk ~ glad to hear your dream has come true.
What do you think of Monty Roberts' methods of training & "breaking" horses? Is he the equine equivalent of Cesar Millan?
Do you (did you) stable your horse for periods or was he/she always turned out? Do they form pair bonds with companion horses/ponies? If so, how do you help them cope if they have to be moved away from a pair bond?
Do companion horses form stable herds if left together in fields? What effect does neutering have on group/herd behaviour?
I see lots of very expensive looking thoroughbred types in fields near where I walk the dogs & I've always been a bit worried that the fields seem empty, bare & sterile places ~ no trees, hedges or shelter from sun, rain or wind, just square areas of grass surrounded by wooden fences. The horses are sometimes together in one field or separated into several fenced off areas ~ perhaps one in one field, 2 in another, 3 in another area. Apart from the obvious lack of grass to provide for too many horses in one area at the same time, are there any other reasons for splitting them up & separating them?
Poo picking ~ In my teenage years, I helped out at a behavioural centre that rehabilitated horses & one of my jobs was to collect the horse poo from the fields (& I got to drive the tractor!!). I was told that the horses wouldn't graze anywhere near the areas where there was poo. Is this right?
Do horses/ponies "play"? Sometimes I've watched them quietly grazing & suddenly just one horse/pony takes off & all the others join in & charge around the field for a few minutes. I've not seen or heard anything that could have spooked them. Is this practice for escaping predators and/or play behaviour?
With canines & felines a lot of emphasis is placed on their wild progenitors when studying behaviour. Does the same apply to equines? Does anyone study, say, zebra behaviour, to learn about the roots of domestic horse behaviour?
Bits ~ do horses really not mind having lumps of metal in their mouths?! Seems a bit of overkill to control a horse ~ surely there are better ways?
Sorry for so many questions but if anyone with any knowledge is prepared to take the time & trouble to reply I would be very grateful ~ or perhaps point me in the direction of some good books or articles on equine behaviour? I promise I won't keep bugging you with follow up questions!!
Larlaruk ~ glad to hear your dream has come true
.What do you think of Monty Roberts' methods of training & "breaking" horses? Is he the equine equivalent of Cesar Millan?
Do you (did you) stable your horse for periods or was he/she always turned out? Do they form pair bonds with companion horses/ponies? If so, how do you help them cope if they have to be moved away from a pair bond?
Do companion horses form stable herds if left together in fields? What effect does neutering have on group/herd behaviour?
I see lots of very expensive looking thoroughbred types in fields near where I walk the dogs & I've always been a bit worried that the fields seem empty, bare & sterile places ~ no trees, hedges or shelter from sun, rain or wind, just square areas of grass surrounded by wooden fences. The horses are sometimes together in one field or separated into several fenced off areas ~ perhaps one in one field, 2 in another, 3 in another area. Apart from the obvious lack of grass to provide for too many horses in one area at the same time, are there any other reasons for splitting them up & separating them?
Poo picking ~ In my teenage years, I helped out at a behavioural centre that rehabilitated horses & one of my jobs was to collect the horse poo from the fields (& I got to drive the tractor!!). I was told that the horses wouldn't graze anywhere near the areas where there was poo. Is this right?
Do horses/ponies "play"? Sometimes I've watched them quietly grazing & suddenly just one horse/pony takes off & all the others join in & charge around the field for a few minutes. I've not seen or heard anything that could have spooked them. Is this practice for escaping predators and/or play behaviour?
With canines & felines a lot of emphasis is placed on their wild progenitors when studying behaviour. Does the same apply to equines? Does anyone study, say, zebra behaviour, to learn about the roots of domestic horse behaviour?
Bits ~ do horses really not mind having lumps of metal in their mouths?! Seems a bit of overkill to control a horse ~ surely there are better ways?
Sorry for so many questions but if anyone with any knowledge is prepared to take the time & trouble to reply I would be very grateful ~ or perhaps point me in the direction of some good books or articles on equine behaviour? I promise I won't keep bugging you with follow up questions!!
Originally Posted by wilhemina:
“At last some people with equine knowledge! I posted months ago with some horse questions but hardly anyone responded.
Larlaruk ~ glad to hear your dream has come true.”
“At last some people with equine knowledge! I posted months ago with some horse questions but hardly anyone responded.
Larlaruk ~ glad to hear your dream has come true
.”
Contratulations....its addictive tho so be prepared. I got my first horse when I was 33 and am now on my forth. She is a 7/8 thoroughbred mare and I love competing at dressage and am a member of British Dressage and British Riding Clubs. So thats the introduction...on to the questions....
Quote:
“What do you think of Monty Roberts' methods of training & "breaking" horses? Is he the equine equivalent of Cesar Millan?”
“What do you think of Monty Roberts' methods of training & "breaking" horses? Is he the equine equivalent of Cesar Millan?”
I've never heard of Cesar Milan but Monty Roberts is similar in style to the parelli method of training, however he explains the psychology more whereas parelli tends to use tricks and seems to be the domain of the middle aged housewife who is too scared to ride....there are a few exceptions. (I am middle aged by the way
)
Quote:
“Do you (did you) stable your horse for periods or was he/she always turned out? Do they form pair bonds with companion horses/ponies? If so, how do you help them cope if they have to be moved away from a pair bond?”
“Do you (did you) stable your horse for periods or was he/she always turned out? Do they form pair bonds with companion horses/ponies? If so, how do you help them cope if they have to be moved away from a pair bond?”
My horse is stabled overnight and on occasion during the day when the fields are boggy...I have no choice about this, its a livery yard rule. They do form very close friendships with their heard group but it is more hierarchal...some horses close in the hirearchy will become very good friends. I avoid the problem with pair bonding by turning out in a larger group.
Quote:
“Do companion horses form stable herds if left together in fields? What effect does neutering have on group/herd behaviour?”
“Do companion horses form stable herds if left together in fields? What effect does neutering have on group/herd behaviour?”
Horses are not generally neutered but males tend to be gelded unless they are to be used for breeding. In nature mares live in a heard with a dominant mare in charge of the group. Generally there is a stallion whose job it is to cover the mares and to keep other stallions away. Geldings are a sort of eunic stallion and tend to be colt like in behaviour.
For this reason I prefer mares and geldings to be grazed separately. Mares tend to be quieter and keener on reaffirming hierarchal status whereas geldings tend to play colt style. When you mix the two behaviours the always appears to be more trouble....obviously this isnt an issue if you have only one gelding in with the mares.
Quote:
“I see lots of very expensive looking thoroughbred types in fields near where I walk the dogs & I've always been a bit worried that the fields seem empty, bare & sterile places ~ no trees, hedges or shelter from sun, rain or wind, just square areas of grass surrounded by wooden fences. The horses are sometimes together in one field or separated into several fenced off areas ~ perhaps one in one field, 2 in another, 3 in another area. Apart from the obvious lack of grass to provide for too many horses in one area at the same time, are there any other reasons for splitting them up & separating them?”
“I see lots of very expensive looking thoroughbred types in fields near where I walk the dogs & I've always been a bit worried that the fields seem empty, bare & sterile places ~ no trees, hedges or shelter from sun, rain or wind, just square areas of grass surrounded by wooden fences. The horses are sometimes together in one field or separated into several fenced off areas ~ perhaps one in one field, 2 in another, 3 in another area. Apart from the obvious lack of grass to provide for too many horses in one area at the same time, are there any other reasons for splitting them up & separating them?”
TB's can be picked up for about £200 from the sales which unfortunately attracts owners without adequate knowledge and skills who want a bargain. These poor horses get labelled a problem and move from one owner to another!
Ideally fields should have the right type of grass and if the grazing is good it may not be long. Long grass can be an indicator of poor or sour pasture because the horses wont eat it or get very little nourishment so the length of grass isnt really an indicator. At this time of year the grass stops growing so their diet has to be supplimented which may not be the case with native breeds.
Shelter is ideal and that can be in the form of hedges/trees etc but a field shelter can cause kicks because of overcrowding. Shelter is ideal but less of an issue if they are only out during daylight. They are broken down into groups because some horses dont get on with others and they are less likely to damage each other if in smaller groups.
Quote:
“Poo picking ~ In my teenage years, I helped out at a behavioural centre that rehabilitated horses & one of my jobs was to collect the horse poo from the fields (& I got to drive the tractor!!). I was told that the horses wouldn't graze anywhere near the areas where there was poo. Is this right?”
“Poo picking ~ In my teenage years, I helped out at a behavioural centre that rehabilitated horses & one of my jobs was to collect the horse poo from the fields (& I got to drive the tractor!!). I was told that the horses wouldn't graze anywhere near the areas where there was poo. Is this right?”
Thats right, they have poo areas and they all use the same area so wont eat the grass (sour field mentioned above). Poo picking also reduces the field worm burden.
Quote:
“Do horses/ponies "play"? Sometimes I've watched them quietly grazing & suddenly just one horse/pony takes off & all the others join in & charge around the field for a few minutes. I've not seen or heard anything that could have spooked them. Is this practice for escaping predators and/or play behaviour?”
“Do horses/ponies "play"? Sometimes I've watched them quietly grazing & suddenly just one horse/pony takes off & all the others join in & charge around the field for a few minutes. I've not seen or heard anything that could have spooked them. Is this practice for escaping predators and/or play behaviour?”
Youngsters tend to play more and they will all respond to a spook from a another field companion because that is how nature designed them to flee from predators. As mentioned above geldings tend to play more than mares because of their eunic/coltish status.
Quote:
“With canines & felines a lot of emphasis is placed on their wild progenitors when studying behaviour. Does the same apply to equines? Does anyone study, say, zebra behaviour, to learn about the roots of domestic horse behaviour?”
“With canines & felines a lot of emphasis is placed on their wild progenitors when studying behaviour. Does the same apply to equines? Does anyone study, say, zebra behaviour, to learn about the roots of domestic horse behaviour?”
No need to study Zebra because there are plenty of wild horses. Zebra psychology differs from horse behaviour so it would be pointless to study them unless you wanted to know about Zebra. Interesting fact....horses are closer to the rhino and tapier family than they are to any other hooved animal!
Quote:
“Bits ~ do horses really not mind having lumps of metal in their mouths?! Seems a bit of overkill to control a horse ~ surely there are better ways?”
“Bits ~ do horses really not mind having lumps of metal in their mouths?! Seems a bit of overkill to control a horse ~ surely there are better ways?”
A bit is not a stopping device but a communication tool....a lot of bitless bridles are much more severe in action. Go for a warming metal, the most gentle snaffle you can find and invest in lessons to teach you soft hands and how to gently communicate with the horse using your seat, legs and manipulation of the bit rather than pulling.
Control is vital when dealing with half a ton of unpredictable horse which has to listen to you over its own instincts. An uncontrolled horse is a danger to you and other people but brute force is not the way to co-operation but fear.....your role is heard leader using the horses natural instincts to reinforce that.
Quote:
“Sorry for so many questions but if anyone with any knowledge is prepared to take the time & trouble to reply I would be very grateful ~ or perhaps point me in the direction of some good books or articles on equine behaviour? I promise I won't keep bugging you with follow up questions!!”
“Sorry for so many questions but if anyone with any knowledge is prepared to take the time & trouble to reply I would be very grateful ~ or perhaps point me in the direction of some good books or articles on equine behaviour? I promise I won't keep bugging you with follow up questions!!”
Try the Horse and Hound forum....great for horse info, especially for a new owner.
Taglet ~ thank you so much for your reply.
I'm not thinking of getting a horse but I'm very interested in animal behaviour, particularly domestic animals & human interactions with & treatment of domestic animals. I know that in the dog & cat world there are many conflicting views on training, breeding, treating behavioural problems & interpretation of behaviours. I just wondered if it is the same in the equine world.
I'll have a look at the horse & hound forum & do a bit of research.
Many thanks.
I'm not thinking of getting a horse but I'm very interested in animal behaviour, particularly domestic animals & human interactions with & treatment of domestic animals. I know that in the dog & cat world there are many conflicting views on training, breeding, treating behavioural problems & interpretation of behaviours. I just wondered if it is the same in the equine world.
I'll have a look at the horse & hound forum & do a bit of research.
Many thanks.
Originally Posted by wilhemina:
“Taglet ~ thank you so much for your reply.
I'm not thinking of getting a horse but I'm very interested in animal behaviour, particularly domestic animals & human interactions with & treatment of domestic animals. I know that in the dog & cat world there are many conflicting views on training, breeding, treating behavioural problems & interpretation of behaviours. I just wondered if it is the same in the equine world.[/b]
I'll have a look at the horse & hound forum & do a bit of research.
Many thanks.”
“Taglet ~ thank you so much for your reply.
I'm not thinking of getting a horse but I'm very interested in animal behaviour, particularly domestic animals & human interactions with & treatment of domestic animals. I know that in the dog & cat world there are many conflicting views on training, breeding, treating behavioural problems & interpretation of behaviours. I just wondered if it is the same in the equine world.[/b]
I'll have a look at the horse & hound forum & do a bit of research.
Many thanks.”
In short yes, and indeed also in the human world in terms of views on child rearing and criminal prevention/rehabilitation i.e. human areas involved with training and treating behavioural problems & interpretation of behaviours.
As with Milan, horse people have differing views on Monty Roberts and his methods, and different interpretation of what he is doing, what he is actually achieving and by what route of communication.
I'm so jealous! I have wanted a horse since I was about 8 - classic pony mad girl, but my parents are both scared of horses, and said they were too expensive, and I wasn't allowed one. (Actually they said I could have one if I got a scholarship to a local fee paying school, assuming I wouldn't get the scholarship. I got it! But no horse. I regularly remind them that they owe me a horse. 
) I'm 34 now, live in London, and have a baby, so horse ownership is still out of the question, but I WILL have one one day!
) I'm 34 now, live in London, and have a baby, so horse ownership is still out of the question, but I WILL have one one day!
Originally Posted by squidsin:
“I'm so jealous! I have wanted a horse since I was about 8 - classic pony mad girl, but my parents are both scared of horses, and said they were too expensive, and I wasn't allowed one. (Actually they said I could have one if I got a scholarship to a local fee paying school, assuming I wouldn't get the scholarship. I got it! But no horse. I regularly remind them that they owe me a horse.) I'm 34 now, live in London, and have a baby, so horse ownership is still out of the question, but I WILL have one one day!”
“I'm so jealous! I have wanted a horse since I was about 8 - classic pony mad girl, but my parents are both scared of horses, and said they were too expensive, and I wasn't allowed one. (Actually they said I could have one if I got a scholarship to a local fee paying school, assuming I wouldn't get the scholarship. I got it! But no horse. I regularly remind them that they owe me a horse.
) I'm 34 now, live in London, and have a baby, so horse ownership is still out of the question, but I WILL have one one day!”
Sell the baby, buy a horse, Simples
Congratulations!!
I'm horsey mad... but am saving up hard and hopefully purchase one this year. I've been riding since I was 7, and wanted a horse ever since (I'm 20 now!).
At the mo I'm just enjoying riding and working with as many horses as possible. Get lots of experience under my belt.
I'm really interested in equine science/behaviour,and would love to have my own yard one day, specialising in rehab/rescue.
Any horsey questions feel free to ask!
I'm horsey mad... but am saving up hard and hopefully purchase one this year. I've been riding since I was 7, and wanted a horse ever since (I'm 20 now!).
At the mo I'm just enjoying riding and working with as many horses as possible. Get lots of experience under my belt.
I'm really interested in equine science/behaviour,and would love to have my own yard one day, specialising in rehab/rescue.
Any horsey questions feel free to ask!
